Ch.152Desolate wind

Seo-rin experienced a strange phenomenon while using the transformed Muramasa. Objects placed where they shouldn’t have been reached were clearly cut. She hadn’t intentionally extended the blade’s length using mana, nor had she swung it quickly to release a blade wind.

She had merely touched them. With an invisible blade.

Seo-rin wasn’t foolish. There was no way she wouldn’t have understood the information about the weapon she was using. Before using the sword, she sprinkled water to determine the exact position of the blade.

‘Is it deceiving my senses?’

It seemed difficult to use it comfortably right away. Seo-rin stared at the transparent blade for a long time before sheathing it. As the blade was silently sucked in, mana gathered around it as if absorbing all the surrounding light at once.

Click-

The Cheong-ik group departed from Star Forge a week after Seo-rin received Muramasa. Although Sephiroth’s injuries hadn’t completely healed, the other members had recovered from their sickbeds, so their departure was decided.

“Wouldn’t it be better to rest for a few more days?”

Sephiroth smiled at Theo’s question, while emitting a terrible smell of blood. She buttoned her coat and walked forward.

“I’ve already rested enough. With Kanok in a coma, how would Cheong-ik headquarters function if I stayed away any longer?”

“Well…”

It would be a mess. Sephiroth muttered those final words as she headed toward the sea train station. Thanks to the dwarf craftsmen who continued repairing the sea train even while rebuilding the partially destroyed city, the Cheong-ik group was able to board the train on their scheduled departure date.

Inside the towering building, a train with a long black body was half-submerged in seawater. The rippling surface reflected the Cheong-ik group.

“Welcome! I’m Burning Hand, the conductor in charge of today’s journey!”

As the Cheong-ik group stopped in front of the train, a dwarf came rushing toward them. Having spent the past few days mingling with dwarves, Seo-rin had become able to gauge the age of dwarves who all looked the same to her.

Oil glistened on his long, pitch-black beard. Not oil dripped from food, but oil applied to maintain the beard. Dwarves who styled their beards in such a way were usually among the younger ones.

“It’s a great honor to serve our benefactors!”

Burning Hand looked up at Cheong-ik with sparkling eyes, somewhat awkwardly. Seo-rin didn’t have to look up, as their eye levels were similar.

“The items you requested have already been loaded. We still have about 10 minutes until departure time, so please board before then.”

The Cheong-ik group hadn’t left with just their bodies. In fact, they had more luggage than before arriving here. Many members had purchased specialties only available at Star Forge, including swords.

Seo-rin in particular had the most luggage. Unlike other members, she had bought numerous dwarf-made furniture pieces. Not just tables and chairs, but coat racks and beds as well. She had purchased such a variety of furniture that it was as if she was setting up a new home.

Of course, the Cheong-ik members couldn’t carry all of this themselves. Items loaded into the cargo car would be handed over to a dedicated shipping company immediately after arriving at the final destination.

That was why Seo-rin had felt comfortable buying so much furniture.

As time passed and the sea train’s departure time approached, the conductor confirmed that all Cheong-ik members had boarded and immediately started the train.

Wooong-!

The low engine sound began to rumble, shaking the entire train. Soon, the train started moving, slowly leaving the building.

Swoosh-

The heavy train body cut through the blue seawater, advancing powerfully. As time passed, it gained speed until waves splashed on both sides.

“Should I take some vacation time when we get back?”

“You still have vacation days left?”

Theo and Flora chatted while facing the cold wind blowing through the wide-open window. Flora seemed surprised that Theo, who usually just loafed around, had vacation days remaining.

“Of course. I’ve never used my vacation days until now.”

“My goodness…”

“I’ve been busy in my own way.”

Seo-rin rested her chin on the windowsill with her eyes closed. The incoming wind swept through her hair, making her whole body feel refreshed.

***

The sea train, running day and night, arrived at its destination faster than expected. This was because this particular journey followed a special timetable prepared for the Cheong-ik members and didn’t stop at other islands.

Screech-

After the train came to a halt.

Seo-rin disembarked with the other members. The cries of seabirds from the high sky seemed to welcome them.

“Everyone, get carriages and horses first.”

Sephiroth immediately gave the order. If her injuries hadn’t been so severe, she wouldn’t have taken a carriage, but she wasn’t in a condition to ride a horse yet. If she experienced continuous violent shaking, her wounds might reopen.

This was due to the terrible poison that had seeped into the wound left by Elder before he disappeared.

Cheong-ik is a wealthy organization. Moreover, their connection with the dwarves allowed everything to proceed smoothly. It took less than an hour to acquire sturdy, stable carriages and well-trained horses.

Sephiroth mounted her horse immediately. She would have preferred to lie down in the carriage right away, but she couldn’t show weakness in front of many people. If news of her injury—the only vice-captain—leaked out, they might be attacked.

Cheong-ik is an organization with many enemies. They had to be cautious with every action.

“Let’s go!”

At her command to depart, all members mounted their horses and quickly left the port city. The rented carriages were loaded with all sorts of miscellaneous items.

After leaving the port city and traveling for quite some time, Sephiroth, who was at the front, stopped the group. She immediately jumped off her horse and vomited dark red bloody fluid.

“Ughh!”

The bloody fluid that splashed onto the ground with a wet sound soaked the earth, spreading a murky smell of blood in all directions. This was because poison was mixed with the vomited blood. Sephiroth’s complexion turned pale instantly, but she actually looked more comfortable.

“I thought I was going to die holding it in.”

“What if someone had been around… Did you check?”

Sephiroth smiled at Flora’s question. Her gaze was directed at Seo-rin.

“Seo-rin wasn’t on alert.”

There was no one with better sensory abilities than Seo-rin in this group. Everyone seemed to agree with Sephiroth’s words, nodding their heads.

Sephiroth immediately entered the carriage. Some of the miscellaneous items inside flew out irritably.

“Wake me immediately if anything happens. Seo-rin will be the leader when I’m not available.”

It was the vice-captain’s order. Everyone nodded. Although there were senior members with longer experience than Seo-rin, no one objected. This was because Cheong-ik was an organization that prioritized ability over experience.

Not long after Sephiroth entered the carriage, snoring sounds echoed.

Seo-rin stood at the front, leading the returning procession. Her widely spread Ashen detection field could sense even the movement of insects approaching from hundreds of meters away. Bandits targeting travelers’ money or those with hostile intent met their end by Seo-rin’s Formless Flying Sword technique before they could even appear.

The starlight ring seated in her heart granted Seo-rin tremendous mana recovery. She constantly operated Sun Force and Formless Flying Sword techniques even during daily activities. Yet she never lacked mana.

Five swords clung to Seo-rin’s back like wings, always following her.

When the Cheong-ik group reached near the border of the Karma Empire, Seo-rin, who was running ahead, sensed an unusual power.

It was familiar. It was also a power commonly possessed by reincarnators often encountered during Cheong-ik activities. A power called internal energy, not mana—the crystallization of a very selfish training method that absorbs and stores the energy of nature within one’s body.

“A reincarnator.”

Seo-rin immediately launched herself forward. The girl’s form, springing from her horse, was enveloped in a storm and rushed quickly. Following her sudden action, the other members behind also changed their horses’ direction and followed.

The place where Seo-rin landed was near a forest not far away. As soon as her toes touched the ground, a strong storm burst out with Seo-rin at its center. The impact pushed back some people who were holding swords.

“Ugh, gah!”

“The wind…!”

“What the…!”

Seo-rin’s gaze quickly scanned the surroundings. Five individuals using internal energy rather than mana. Besides them, two figures with large backpacks looking scared.

They were definitely bandits preying on travelers.

Not all five were reincarnators. Seo-rin tilted her head and asked.

“Who taught you martial arts?”

“What…? Martial arts?”

“Suddenly appearing and saying such things… Are you perhaps a magician?”

“Hey, I told you something didn’t feel right… We should have checked if there were other companions…”

It seemed impossible to extract information through polite conversation. Seo-rin immediately drew her sword. As the invisible transparent blade emerged, she rotated the Muramasa in her hand half a turn, switching the positions of the blade and the back.

Swoosh-

As a faint wind swept through the scene, the five bandits who had been emitting internal energy made a cracking sound and collapsed.